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it not move you to think of their perishing for ever? I beseech you, for the sake of the children of your bowels, teach them, admonish them, watch over them, and give them no rest, till you have brought them to Christ.

20. I shall conclude with this earnest request to all Christian parents that read these lines; that they would have compassion on the souls of their poor children, and be faithful to the great trust that God hath put on them: If you cannot do what you would for them, yet do what you can. Both church and state, city and country, groan under the neglect of this weighty duty. Your children know not God, nor his laws, but take his name in vain, and slight his worship, and you neither instruct nor correct them; and therefore God corrects both them and you. You are so tender of them, that God is the less tender of both them and you. Wonder not if God make you smart for your children's sins; for you are guilty of all they commit, by your neglect of your duty to reform them. Will you resolve therefore to set upon this duty, and neglect it no longer? Remember Eli. Your children are like Moses in the bulrushes, ready to perish if they have not help. As ever you would not be charged before God as murderers of their souls, nor have them cry out against you in everlasting fire, see that you teach them how to escape it, and bring them up in holiness and the fear of God. I charge every one of you, upon your allegiance to God, as you will very shortly answer the contrary at your peril, that you will neither refuse nor neglect this most necessary duty. If you are not willing to do it, now you know it to be so great a duty, you are rebels, and no true subjects of Jesus Christ. If you are willing, but know not how, I will add a few words of direction to help you. Lead them, by your own example, to prayer, reading, and other religious duties. Inform their understandings. Store their memories. Rectify their wills. Quicken their affections. Keep tender their consciences. Restrain their tongues, and teach them gracious speech Reform and watch over their outward conversation,

To these ends get them bibles and pious books, and see that they read them. Examine them often what they learn; especially spend the Lord's day in this work, and suffer them not to spend it in sports or idleness. Show them the meaning of what they read or learn. Keep them out of evil company, and acquaint them with the godly. And fail not to make them learn their catechism. Especially show them the necessity, excellency, and pleasure, of serving God; and labour to fix all upon their hearts.

CHAP. X.

The Saint's Rest is not to be expected on Earth.

§ 1. In order to show the sin and folly of expecting rest here, § 2. (I.) the reasonableness of present afflictions is considered; §3. (1) that they are the way to rest, § 4. (2) keep us from mistaking our rest, § 5. (3) from losing our way to it, § 6. (4) quicken our pace towards it, § 7. (5) chiefly incommode our flesh, § 8, 9, and (6) under them the sweetest foretastes of rest are often enjoyed. § 10. (II.) How unreasonable to rest in present enjoyments: § 11. (1) that it is idolatry; § 12. (2) that it contradicts God's end in giving them; § 13. (3) is the way to have them refused, withdrawn, or imbittered; § 14. (4) that to be suffered to take up our rest here is the greatest curse; § 15. (5) that it is seeking rest where it is not; § 16. (6) that the creatures, without God, would aggravate our misery; § 17. (7) and all this is confirmed by experience. § 18. The author laments that this is nevertheless a most common sin. § 19-23. (III.) How unreasonable our unwillingness to die and possess the saint's rest, is largely considered. § 24. The author apologizes for saying so much on this last head.

§ 1. We are not yet come to our resting place. Doth it remain? How great then is our sin and folly to seek and expect it here. Where shall we find the Christian that deserves not this reproof? We would all have continual prosperity, because it is easy and pleasing to the flesh; but we consider not the unreasonableness of such desires. And when

we enjoy convenient houses, goods, lands, and revenues; or the necessary means God hath appointed for our spiritual good; we seek rest in these enjoyments. Whether we are in an afflicted or prosperous state, it is apparent we exceedingly make the creature our rest. Do we not desire creature-enjoyments more violently, when we want them, than we desire God himself? Do we not delight more in the possession of them, than in the enjoyment of God? And if we lose them, doth it not trouble us more than our loss of God? Is it not enough that they are refreshing helps in our way to heaven, but they must also be made our heaven itself? Christian Reader, I would as willingly make thee sensible of this sin as of any sin in the world, if I could tell how to do it; for the Lord's greatest quarrel with us is in this point. In order to this, I most earnestly beseech thee to consider, the reasonableness of present afflictions, and the unreasonableness of resting in present enjoyments;-as also of our unwillingness to die, that we may possess eternal rest.

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§ 2. (I.) To show the reasonableness of present afflictions, consider, they are the way to rest;they keep us from mistaking our rest; and from losing our way to it; they quicken our pace towards it; they chiefly incommode our flesh;-and under them God's people have often the sweetest foretastes of their rest.

§ 3. (1) Consider, that labour and trouble are the common way to rest, both in the course of nature and grace. Can there possibly be rest without weariness? Do you not travel and toil first, and rest after? The day for labour is first, and then follows the night for rest. Why should we desire the course of grace to be perverted, any more than the course of nature? It is an established decree, that we must thro' much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.(w) And that if we suffer, we shall also reign with Christ.(x)

(w) Acts xiv. 22.

(a) 2 Tim. ii. 12.

And what are we, that God's statutes should be reversed for our pleasure?

§ 4. (2) Afflictions are exceeding useful to us to keep us from mistaking our rest. A Christian's motion towards heaven is voluntary; and not constrained. Those means therefore are most profitable, which help his understanding and will. The most dangerous mistake of our souls is, to take the creature for God, and earth for heaven. What warm, affectionate, eager thoughts, have we of the world, till afflictions cool and moderate them! Afflictions speak convincingly, and will be heard when preachers cannot. Many a poor Christian is sometimes bending his thoughts to wealth, or flesh-pleasing, or applause, and so loses his relish of Christ, and the joy above; till God break in upon his riches, or children, or conscience, or health, and break down his mountain which he thought so strong: and then, when he lieth in Manasseh's fetters, or is fastened to his bed with pining sickness, the world is nothing, and heaven is something. If our dear Lord did not put these thorns under our head, we should sleep out our lives, and lose our glory.

§ 5. (3) Afflictions are also God's most effectual means to keep us from losing our way to our rest. Without this hedge of thorns on the right hand and left, we should hardly keep the way to heaven. If there be but one gap open, how ready are we to find it, and turn out at it! When we grow wanton, or worldly, or proud, how doth sickness or other affliction reduce us! Every Christian, as well as Luther, may call affliction one of the best schoolmasters; and with David may say, Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.(y) Many thousand recovered sinners may cry, "O healthful sickness! O comfortable sorrows! O gainful losses!

enriching poverty! O blessed day that ever I was afflicted!" Not only the green pastures, and still waters, but the rod and staff, they comfort us.

(y) Psalm cxix. 67.

Though the Word and Spirit do the main work, yet suffering so unbolts the door of the heart, that the word hath easier entrance.

§ 6. (4) Afflictions likewise serve to quicken our pace in the way to our rest. It were well, if mere love would prevail with us, and that we were rather drawn to heaven, than driven. But seeing our hearts are so bad, that mercy will not do it; it is better to be put on with the sharpest scourge, than loiter like the foolish virgins, till the door is shut. O what a difference is there betwixt our prayers in health and in sickness! betwixt our repentings in prosperity and adversity! Alas, if we did not sometime feel the spur, what a slow pace would most of us hold toward heaven. Since our vile natures require it, why should we be unwilling that God should do us good by sharp means? Judge, Christian, whether thou dost not go more watchfully and speedily in the way to heaven, in thy sufferings, than in thy more pleasing and prosperous state.

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7. Consider further, it is but the flesh that is chiefly troubled and grieved by afflictions. In most of our sufferings the soul is free, unless we ourselves wilfully afflict it. Why then, O my soul, dost thou side with this flesh, and complain, as it complaineth? It should be thy work to keep it under, and bring it into subjection; and if God do it for thee, shouldest thou be discontented? Hath not the pleasing of it been the cause of almost all thy spiritual sorrows? Why then may not the displeasing of it further thy joy? Must not Paul and Silas sing, because their feet are in the stocks? Their spirits were not imprisoned. Ah, unworthy soul! is this thy thanks to God for preferring thee so far before thy body? When it is rotting in the grave, thou shalt be a companion of the perfected spirits of the just; in the mean time, hast thou not consolation which the flesh knows not of? Murmur not then at God's dealings with thy body; if it were for want of love to thee, he would not have dealt so by al

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